10 years of HEPA Europe: what made it possible and what is the way into the future?

Abstract

HEPA Europe, the European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity, will have its 10th annual meeting in 2014. Membership of the network has grown to 129 institutions from 32 countries. Collaborations have been established with the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union (EU), Agita Mundo, the global network for physical activity promotion, other regional networks, and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health. Physical activity has moved up on the public agenda; in 2013 the EU Council adopted its first ever Council Recommendation in sport, notably on promoting health-enhancing physical activity, and in 2014 WHO has begun the development of a Physical Activity Strategy for the European region. HEPA Europe has had strong involvement in these developments despite the absence of a long-term funding mechanism, changing priorities within its supporting institutions and difficulties of earlier attempts to establish a European physical activity network. This article reflects on four groups of enabling factors for this development. 1) The time was right: favourable secular developments, products of previous work and the momentum of an international pioneer phase met with windows of opportunity in key institutions. 2) A combination of commitment and conceptual clarity: clearly defined objectives, structures and approaches provided opportunities for individual commitment to blossom. 3) Institutional support: structural attachment to WHO and steady support from a sequence of key institutions was provided. 4) The deliverance of high visibility products: HEPA Europe’s events, its working groups, as well as its tools met with great interest. In Europe, the HEPA network has found a role which is not filled by any other institution and which is increasingly in demand. To meet these growing and changing expectations, HEPA Europe will need to continue evolving. This will take dedicated individuals, supportive member institutions as well as sustainable funding mechanisms.